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Recently, Managing Editor Jon Wood had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Davis (Deputy Content Director) and Steve Perkins (Director) to talk about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. In this first part of a two-part interview, Wood talks to Davis and Perkins about the WAR IP, beta, innovations and more.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Davis and Steve Perkins from EA Mythic's Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Mark is a Deputy Content Director on the project, and Steve is serving as a Director.

During the interview, we talked about a number of different things. Today, in this article, I am going to talk about some of the questions that I asked about the game, many of which came directly from our forums here at MMORPG.com. In the next part of this article, I am going to look at the starting zones and quests for the Dwarfs and the Greenskins.

IP Questions

The first few questions that I asked were asked for clarification, starting with the exact license that they have. We all know and can see the influences that the miniatures game is having on WAR, but I was curious as to whether the license extended beyond that, to all of the Warhammer (excluding 40K) IP.

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Originally posted by machiavelli

I hope that the so called "WoW clone" alot of players are using will be less now but i doubt it

Typically that comes from WoW Fanboiz and like any fanboi... they don't need to be right... they just need to maintain the same hyperbolic rethoric that conveys in one images what it would take explanation and references to deflate.

WoW didn't invent much... so frankly... when I hear people comparing things to WoW (other than subscriptions, revenues, popularity or quantity of content where WoW is truelly the reference... Lineage doesnt count when it comes to comparing with Occidental games) and coming up with all sorts of negative judgements without even citing the actual innovators I find their list of references very small for people who would spew criticism...

Stupidity is an unstoppable force and people labeling things in spite of their limited knowledge will never stop.

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They have also stated that "The more you participate in our community, the better your chances are of getting into the beta."

What community are they referring to? I didn't think there was an official WAR community/forums...

I agree, where can I go to be seen by the devs, and show them that I'm worthy to be in the beta test RIGHT NOW? Because I'll actually come with my harshest criticism, and report every bug I encounter, to help polish this game down to something that will make big bucks in the coming years. I'd actually pay $7.50 a month to test WAR, which is half of the usual brand new MMORPG monthly fare.

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The idea that they'll be pulling ideas from the entire history of Warhammer is very exciting... I've been leafing through my old Fantasy Roleplay books and White Dwarf magazines, and there's just so much history and lore built up that they have to draw on.
Will there be old mobs like Fimir coming back? Stuff form the novels?
I don't think there's a single other IP you could use for a fantasy game with so much to draw on for story and expansions...

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Originally posted by AnesthesiaThe idea that they'll be pulling ideas from the entire history of Warhammer is very exciting... I've been leafing through my old Fantasy Roleplay books and White Dwarf magazines, and there's just so much history and lore built up that they have to draw on. Will there be old mobs like Fimir coming back? Stuff form the novels? I don't think there's a single other IP you could use for a fantasy game with so much to draw on for story and expansions...

Well, there is Tolkien, but he didn't design all that lore with the idea in mind that it fits into a game. Which is why I feel that LoTRO falls short, in my opinion. Warhammer's lore, on the other hand, is ideally suited for gaming, as it started out, and is still fairly popular as a table-top, and is now being converted into a MMORPG. As I said earlier, I would pay to get into the beta RIGHT NOW!

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In terms of the art style, Warhammer Online is staying true to the original look of the Warhammer Universe

I have seen people say this, but all the Warhammer art I've ever seen has been quite different from this comparatively comical look. Granted, I doubt I have seen anything of the 'original' Warhammer. Does anyone have any examplary images from the first edition? Google hasn't helped me.

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Originally posted by AnesthesiaThe idea that they'll be pulling ideas from the entire history of Warhammer is very exciting... I've been leafing through my old Fantasy Roleplay books and White Dwarf magazines, and there's just so much history and lore built up that they have to draw on. Will there be old mobs like Fimir coming back? Stuff form the novels? I don't think there's a single other IP you could use for a fantasy game with so much to draw on for story and expansions...

Many pen & paper settings qualify, I think. Warhammer just had an unusually high amount for a tabletop miniatures wargame. Which probably means it will have an unusually high amount for an MMO -- since no other tabletop, let alone pen & paper, settings have been used for an MMO, yet.

Except Eberron, which is quite a new, underdeveloped setting. CCP will be bringing us the World of Darkness in a few years, though....

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Honetly. I wouldn't worry about the "WOW clone" factor. Imagine, how many games can be played with same deck of cards. All are interesting. Even all the graphics are the same, Warhammer can still be a completely different game.

I have played EQ, EQ2, DAOC, some shadowbane, WOW. I really like the DAOC. I agreed Davis and Perkins's view on MMOG. It is the gaming experience not the items that makes the MMOG fun. Coz the things that remind you after playing or quiting for a few years are what you did, not what you had in game.

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I'm guilty! I first saw it and in ignorace said "it looks like WoW, Wtf?" but via some research and many hours of listening to Paul's rantings (which is uber entertaining to watch mind you) I'm a believer that WoW is in fact the poser! Shame on you Blizzard for trying to wreck up the innovative breath of fresh air War offers from your rinse and repeat crapfest by making me think that War was a knock off.

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To say it looked like WoW when very few screenshots and almost no content information shouldn't be considered a crime. Rants and rave in favor or one or the other....blech. When I first saw WAR being discussed, I thought to myself 'Oh boy! Can it possibly be like the novels?!?' So far what I hear/read in terms of the underlying 'spirit' it sounds right on.

Changes to the standard MMO 'mold' haven't happened in a big title game for a while and it sounds like WAR is going to be 'cutting edge' in terms of groundbreaking gaming, at least at the start. Kudos!